Sleeping car



July 1 7', 1962 M. M'AJNONT 3,044,419

SLEEPING; cm

Filed Jan. 51,. 1958 21 sheets sheet. 1

M. MAJNONl July 17, 1962 SLEEPING CAR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 31, 1958 2 ll on Unite This invention relates to sleeping cars and more particularly to a railway sleeping car of the type in which the occupants are lodged in a plurality of compartments arranged in longitudinal rows extending the length of the car body, separated by partition walls and each compartment communicating with a longitudinal aisle or passageway extending from end to end of the body, and in which at least a part of said compartments is designed for the comfortable and private accommodation of a single passenger.

Sleeping cars of the above type include a car body having Windowed side walls, a roof Wall and a ceiling wall for the compartments and the aisle, and each compartment comprises one bed or berth and a space of sufiicient height to permit the occupant to stand upright for dressing and undressing purposes. The arrangement of the beds transversely to the length of the car body is desirable for comfortable and undisturbed sleeping since a passenger does not feel the disturbing effects of the rolling of the car and of side thrusts when the train travels along sharp curves of the track.

in most arrangements of cars of the foregoing type, the beds are so constructed as to be converted into seats for use during the daytime. This arrangement is objectionable since the passenger cannot use a bed during the daytime for resting purposes, or a seat at night for reading, writing and the like.

Sleepers of the above type have been constructed with a passageway or aisle located adjacent to one side wall of the car body whereby the width of the space between the opposite side wall of the car body and the inner wall of the aisle permits the transverse arrangement of the beds.

Alternatively, sleeping cars having a central aisle have been provided with a longitudinal row of berths at each side of the aisle. However, such an arrangement does not allow the desirable transverse disposition of the berths nor suflicient space in the compartments to permit the passengers to dress and undress in privacy.

Further, in the planning and designing of railway cars of the type under consideration, the best utilization of the space defined by the end portions and the side walls of the car body with respect to the number of passengers carried is most important.

An object of the present invention is to provide a sleeping car which is so constructed as to afiord more passenger space than was heretofore possible without adversely affecting the full privacy, comfort and accommodation of the passenger Another object of the invention is to provide a sleeping car including two longitudinal rows of compartments, each separated from the others and from the aisle or corridor by partition Walls arranged at the two sides of and independently communicating with the centrally located aisle, and each compartment having a bed and sufficient space for private dressing and undressing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sleeping car in which the beds in the compartments are transversely disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the car.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a sleeping car having a plurality of separate compartments, each compartment including one bed, one seat, both at the disposal of the passenger, and sufficient space heightwise for private dressing and undressing.

rates Patent ice To achieve the above objects and advantages, the invention comprises in a car body of standard size, outer side walls, a roof Wall, a bottom wall, corridor or aisle defining walls arranged in the mid-longitudinal plane of the car for at least a portion of the length thereof with the side Walls of the aisle being parallel to and spaced from the car side walls, a ceiling wall and a floor vertically spaced therefrom to provide an area sufiicient to accommodate a person' standing, a longitudinal row of compartments arranged on opposite sides of the aisle, in the area defined by the spaced aisle and car side walls, each compartment including a bed or berth located at a level whereby at least a part of the bed or berth covers a part of the surface covered by the aisle so that the horizontal space available in the car and used for the location of the aisle is in part employed for the beds or berths with the vertical space provided for the use of the beds being realized by the difference between the available vertical area between the roof wall and the bottom wall of the car and the height of the aisle.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in the sleeping car the centrally located corridor is positioned at a level such that the ceiling wall thereof is well spaced from the coach roof Wall, and the beds in the compartments are located at a level immediately above the ceiling wall and positioned to cover in part the corridor.

According to the most preferred embodiment of this invention, the beds in the compartments are transversely arranged with respect to the longitudinal plane of the coach, and an end portion, preferably the foot portion of each bed is located above the corridor ceiling wall.

The novel features of the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The present invention itself, however, both as to its general organization and its principal features, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming an essential part of this disclosure, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a view of a car constructed in accordance with the invention showing a horizontal, sectional and longitudinally interrupted view taken at the level defined by the lines 1-1 in FIGS. 3 and 4; I

FIGURE 2 is a similar view taken at the lower level defined by the line 2-2 of FIGS. 3 and 4;

FIGURES 3 and 4 are side views of a portion of the vehicle with a part of the coach side walls being broken away to visualize the interior thereof, shown in planes defined by lines 3-3 and 4-4 of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 respectively;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 555 of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the invention, wherein the vehicle is transversally cut and part of the roof is broken away;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing a modified form of the invention; and

FIGURE 8 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section taken along the line 88 of FIG. 7.v

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like parts and elements of the invention are indicated by like reference numerals throughout the several figures;

For a clear understanding and definition of the invention in the following specification and appended claims I the terms longitudinal and transverse when applied to half the length of the compartment.

the present sleeping car includes outer side walls 14 and 15 and a roof-defining Wall W joined to the side Walls. The car is provided withspaced apart walls a, 10b

,defining a corridor or aisle 10 located in the middle longiments 12 and 13, such as a conductors accommodation,

,water closet and toilet rooms of the type known in this art.

According to the invention, the several compartments C are arranged in longitudinal rows along both sides of the corridor 10 in the spaces defined by the corridor or aisle side Walls 10a, 1%, transverse partition walls T and outer side walls 14 and 15 of the coach.

Each compartment comprises a floor F, a ceiling wall CW spaced below the wall W with the length dimension beingequal to the distance between its associated outer side wall and the aisle wall on the opposite side of the aisle and the width dimension being approximately one- The part of each ceiling wall which spans the space between aisle defining walls 1%, 10b constitutes a aisle wall AW. Further,

each compartment in one row includes a bed 16 and each compartment in the other row a bed 17 with the beds being arranged transversely with respect to the cor ridor. of the corridor (as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, inclusive),

' and has a portion extended above the ceiling, whereby the.

horizontal space covered by the corridor (the trace of side walls of which are shown in dash lines in FIG. 1) is further covered by a portion of each bed.

The beds are alternatively arranged relative to the 7 length of the coach, as shown in particular in FIG. 1,

so that in the respective compartments spaces 18 and 19 are provided in adjacent relationship with the side of the "head portion of the beds 16 and 17 respectively. Such are of sufiicient size for dressing and undressing purposes. A washing bowl and/or other commodity means 1 maybe provided in the spaces 18 and 19.

From the above and by a consideration of the accom- Each bed is at a level just above the ceilingprovided with conventionally arranged services compartthe corridor floor CF, and a few steps are provided for passage from the corridor to the interior of the compartment, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. In each compartment, a further space, 20 and 21, respectively, exists beneath the head portion of the beds 16 and 17 respectively, and in such space a comfortable seat 22 may be located for use by the passenger when the bed is not occupied.

According to the invention, therefore, the passenger occupying each compartment may enjoy, in addition to full privacy, a roomy space for dressing and undressing, a comfortable bed, and a seat, with such components being available at all times. Based on the dimensions previouslymentioned, each of spaces 20 and 21 is 3 by 4 '7 ft., which is of sufficient size to permit a large, comfortable arm-chair, and a small desk to be located therein and still leave plenty of room for luggage and various items.

The particular arrangement of beds in the several compartments as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, in which the beds are located in pairs adjacent to one partition wall, makes it possible to provide the opposite partition wall 33 (FIG. 6), with an opening 34 for inter-communication between the two adjaacent compartments, thereby enabling members ofjthe family to occupy adjoining compartments. A hinged or removable door or other closure means is provided for the opening 34.

- Of course, the bottom surface of the railway body considered must be kept at a given level above the plane of the rails particularly at the end portions of the body, where the bogie means (not shown) are located. In general, the standard size of railway coaches permits an ar- V the full length of the coach body.

If a minor dimensional limitation of vertical spacing and intervals is desired, the invention may be advantageously embodied in the structure as shown in FIGS.

panying drawings the improved utilization of the inner area of the coach body for transportation of passengers will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. As a matter of fact,'in a standard size 11 ft. wide passenger coach, a central corridor having a width of 2 ft., 6 in. may

' be arranged. Assuming that the sumof the thicknesses of the various outer and corridor side walls, may be 6 inches, a transverse interval of about 4 ft. exists between the corridor and each of the outer side Walls.

For example, the several compartments may each be provided with roomy and comfortable beds of approximately 6 ft, 6 in. in length and 3 ft. in width (the thickness of the adjacent partition walls being included), and 2 ft. 6 in. of the foot'portion of each bed extends on the corridor ceiling. The spaces. 18 and 19 of the compartments will be 3 by 4 it, that is to say, correspond to area between the corridor and the coach side walls and the width of the bed in the compartment oppositely located on the other side of the corridor.

Therefore, from the above illustrative dimensions, it

. will be understood that in the length of the coach body which is available for passengers accommodation, the

' number of compartments may squarely correspond to the length divided by the width of one bed, plus the very small thickness of one partition wall between adjacent compartments. Such a favorable ratio of the number of compartments, each having a single bed and room for comfortable travel in respect to a given length of a passenger coach body of standard size has been not heretofore attained according to current design of sleeping cars of the type under consideration.

a To facilitate access to the beds, the floor of each com- I partment may be located at a level above the level of 7 and 8. According to this embodiment, the corridor 10 is located at the central portion of the coach between the bogies, while the end portions of the coach may be provided with conventionally arranged and furnished compartments 31, including one or two superimposed beds 32. Each compartment communicates with a corridor portion 10' located adjacent to one side wall of the coach at a level above the level of the corridor 10.

A few steps 30 may be provided for passaage between the corridors 10 and 10.

In the portion of the length of the coach, including the corridor 10, the arrangement of compartments and modifications may be made herein so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to have protected by Letters Patent is:

1. A sleeping car including opposite outer side walls,

7 a roof defining wall connected to the side walls, a pair of spaced apart aisle defining walls'located inwardly of the outer side Walls and extending a substantial length of the car in parallelism to the side walls for providing there between an aisle for the car occupants, spaced apart transverse partition walls extending between each of said aisle defining walls and its associated outer side Wall for providing a plurality of adjoining compartments on each 7 side of the aisle, the compartments on one side of the aisle being directly opposite the compartment on the other side of the aisle, a floor for the adjoining compartments on each side of the aisle, a floor for the aisle, a

ceiling wall for each compartment spaced below said roof wall, said ceiling wall having a length dimension equal to the distance between its associated outer side wall and the aisle wall on the opposite side of the aisle and a width dimension approximately one-half the length of the compartment, the part of each ceiling wall spanning the space between said aisle walls defining an aisle ceiling wall, a bed structure being adapted to be disposed in that portion of the space between the ceiling wall and the roof wall and extend into that portion of the space between the ceiling wall and the roof wall which is above the aisle ceiling wall, said transverse partition walls being of a height to extend between the floor of the compartment and the roof wall, the area of each compartment between its ceiling wall and compartment floor being suflicien-t to receive seat means within the width dimension of said ceiling means, the compartment area between the compartment floor, roof wall, aisle wall, partition wall and side wall being suflicient to allow an occupant to a stand upright therein, and the aisle wall of each compartment having a portion of sufficient height to extend from the aisle floor to the ceiling wall, and a portion extending between the aisle floor and the roof wall.

2. A sleeping car as claimed in claim 1, in which the ceiling walls in adjoining compartments extend from the 6 same side Wall and the aisle wall in front of each compartment area allowing an occupant to stand upright being provided with door means.

3. A sleeping car as claimed in claim 2, in which the partition wall adjacent the area allowing an occupant to stand upright is provided with door means permitting access between adjoining compartments,

4. A sleeping car as claimed in claim 1, in which the aisle floor is at a level below that of the compartment floors so that the distance between the ceiling walls and the aisle floor is sufiicient to permit occupants to walk upright therealong.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,569,754 Hutt Ian. 12, 1926 2,000,549 Woodward May 7, 1935 2,112,005 Zook Mar. 22, 1938 2,561,653 Eksergian July 24, 1951 

